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Jonah Hill Replacing Demetri Martin in the Moneyball Movie

More troubles on this baseball film? There always seems to be some problem with the casting or the studio or something. The last time we wrote about Sony's Moneyball adaptation, which Steven Soderbergh was originally supposed to direct, was last year when it was revealed that Capote director Bennett Miller would be taking over for Soderbergh. Since then we haven't heard much else, but a little update over on an ESPN blog (via The Playlist) gives us some insight into the latest with Moneyball. According to author Michael Lewis, Brad Pitt is still attached as Billy Beane, but Demetri Martin has been replaced by Jonah Hill.

I don't even need to tell you about the character to know that this just doesn't seem like the right fit. Martin was supposed to play Paul DePodesta, a Harvard grad who turned down Wall Street jobs to use his statistical skills to change baseball scouting tactics. His system, known as "Earned Run Value," allowed manager Billy Beane to evaluate valuable players he could hire at low cost. Even ESPN's Rob Neyer is surprised that Jonah Hill is going to play "the ex-football player and Harvard graduate" instead of Demetri. I was actually looking forward to seeing Martin take on another role in a feature film after a refreshing turn in Taking Woodstock.

ESPN also confirmed that Moneyball is scheduled to start shooting in June, but considering what happened last time it was about to start shooting, you never know what could happen. I really can't see Jonah Hill in this at all, but maybe he's considering taking this opportunity to slim down in order to fit the character, just like Seth Rogen did for The Green Hornet. All I really know is that I think I still prefer Soderbergh's version of Moneyball, but that's gone forever and this what we're going to get whether we like it or not. Thoughts?

demetri martin is clever and has great stand-up, but he just isn't good for acting roles

BUZZ KILLINGTON

Dimitri Martin not Jewish...Johan Hill Jewish...Any questions?

dee

Another gratuitous, random reference to Jonah Hill being Jewish? I'm pretty sure that, at this point in the game, every such reference should be accompanied by a mention of the fact that Natalie Portman, Logan Lerman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Paul Rudd and Mila Kunis are also all Jewish. That's for starters.

Dude

Demetri Martin bombed in Taking Woodstock. Jonah Hill raised his profile and even got nominated for an Oscar from doing Moneyball. Seems some people in Hollywood actually know what they're doing.